Nintendo at E3 2018: Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, Fortnite, Pokémon and more launching this year

There we have it folks; Smash Bros. for Nintendo Switch is confirmed as ‘Super Smash Bros. Ultimate’. Or ‘Special’ as it’s known as in Japan. And pretty special it does look indeed. Featuring ‘every single fighter ever featured in the series’, the ‘Ultimate’ Smash Bros. game arrives on 7th December – and ‘everyone is here!’. Highlights include new characters, in the form of 8 variations of Splatoon’s Inkling, complete with a range of weapons and the ability to spray opponents with different coloured inks, and the highly requested addition of Ridley as a playable fighter. Plus, the return of Ice Climbers, Pokémon Trainer, Snake and Wolf.

But that wasn’t all that featured in today’s presentation, where we were also shown a brand new Super Mario Party title, that includes the ability to link two Switch consoles together, the highly rumoured reveal of Fortnite for Switch, launching shortly after the show, plus amazing gameplay footage of Fire Emblem: Three Houses and more DLC for Xenoblade Chronicles 2.

But, with no Metroid Prime 4 on show, nothing of Yoshi and no new 1st party title announcements, I can’t help but feel a little disappointed having watched the presentation. Having set my expectations, perhaps, unreasonably high for the Direct, even as I sit here watching footage of Smash, Pokémon and Overcooked 2 live from the Treehouse, my mind can’t help but wonder what could have been… Could we still be treated to Mario Kart 8 DLC, HD versions of Mario Sunshine or Galaxy, or even a brand new Animal Crossing game this year…

For you’re reading pleasure here is the full press release straight from Nintendo UK. What did you think of the presentation tonight everyone?

Fortnite arrives today for Nintendo Switch; new Super Smash Bros., Pokémon games and many more all launching this year

12th June, 2018 – Nintendo opened its activities for the annual E3 2018 video game trade show with a bang – and a smash. Showing world-first footage of Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, Nintendo shared details about the latest entry in a series with sales of more than 40 million worldwide. A new game built for Nintendo Switch, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate lets up to eight players square off in action-packed battles that are all about smashing beloved video game characters off the screen. Legendary game worlds and fighters collide in the ultimate showdown at E3 2018, which runs through 14th June at the Los Angeles Convention Center. Nintendo made its announcements during its Nintendo Direct: E3 2018 video presentation, which can be viewed at http://e3.nintendo-europe.com/.

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate will include every single fighter ever featured in the series’ nearly two-decades run, making it one of the biggest crossover events in gaming history. Fans can enjoy returning favourites like Ice Climbers and Pokémon Trainer, as well as newly announced fighters like Ridley from the Metroid series and Inkling from the Splatoon series. The game supports a variety of controller options, including Nintendo GameCube controllers (original or newly designed), Joy-Con, or the Nintendo Switch Pro Controller. With Nintendo Switch, players can throw down whenever and wherever they like in handheld or tabletop mode while enjoying online play.

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate combines many stages and new items with gameplay that makes it easy for players of all skill levels to jump in. All Super Smash Bros. series amiibo figures are compatible with the game, and any fighter’s amiibo figure from other series will also be supported. Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is set to launch on 7th December, exclusively for Nintendo Switch. It is being developed by Nintendo, Sora, Ltd., and BANDAI NAMCO Studios, and is directed by Masahiro Sakurai.

Nintendo also announced that Fortnite, the Battle Royale phenomenon from Epic Games, will be available for Nintendo Switch from 22.00 (UK time) / 23.00 CEST today. Players can download it for free from Nintendo eShop, then test their mettle in thrilling crucibles of combat. The action never stops with Fortnite on Nintendo Switch, where players can build and battle together anytime, anywhere. Team up online with friends in the same room or around the world. Weekly updates and new gameplay modes will keep the action fresh for seasoned Fortnite players and newcomers alike.

At its E3 booth this week in the Los Angeles Convention Center, Nintendo will give attendees their first chance to play Pokémon: Let’s Go, Pikachu! and Pokémon: Let’s Go, Eevee!, two Pokémon games launching for Nintendo Switch on 16th November. Pokémon: Let’s Go, Pikachu! and Pokémon: Let’s Go, Eevee! are a new way to experience Pokémon that lets players adventure with their partner Pokémon in the vibrant Kanto region, discover fresh and exciting Pokémon encounters and Trainer battles, as well as share the adventure cooperatively with a friend anytime, anywhere on one Nintendo Switch console. Players can even transfer Kanto region Pokémon into the game from the Pokémon GO app. These games serve as an entry point to the Pokémon series for newcomers, but they also provide fun and engaging experiences for Pokémon fans of all ages. A new controller, called Poké Ball Plus, comes with Mythical Pokémon Mew and is sold separately from the games. Poké Ball Plus includes a pressable analogue stick and button, so players can control the new games entirely with the controller, if they want. Nintendo also announced two bundle versions of the games, in which players can purchase either Pokémon: Let’s Go, Pikachu! or Pokémon: Let’s Go, Eevee! with one Poke Ball Plus.

Other upcoming items announced during the Nintendo Direct include:

Xenoblade Chronicles 2 Expansion Pass owners also will gain access to Xenoblade Chronicles 2: Torna – The Golden Country to be released on 14th September. In this new story mode, players uncover the full history of Jin and the fall of his homeland, Torna, which existed 500 years before the events of Xenoblade Chronicles 2. This new storyline will also be available as a stand-alone packaged version on 21st September.

Super Mario Party: Inspired by classic Mario Party board game play, the beloved series is coming to Nintendo Switch with new mini-games and play styles that make use of the Joy-Con controllers. Super Mario Party includes features like character-exclusive Dice Blocks that add depth to players’ strategy. Up to four players take turns rolling the dice, and individually race across the board searching for Stars. In Toad’s Rec Room Mode, new gameplay links two Nintendo Switch consoles for side-by-side fun. The game launches on 5th October, as does the new Nintendo Switch adjustable charging stand, which is perfect for multiplayer parties in tabletop mode.

Fire Emblem: Three Houses: A new episode of the Fire Emblem series comes to Nintendo Switch for the first time in spring 2019. The player can manoeuvre the main character freely and interact with other characters to build relationships and gather information at various points within the game. This turn-based tactical RPG will put new strategic twists on battling, with formations of troops supporting individual units on the battlefield. Players will get to know three main characters – Edelgard, Dimitri, and Claude – who play key roles in the story.

DAEMON X MACHINA: A new fast-paced mech action game from Kenichiro Tsukuda is coming to Nintendo Switch in 2019. Players take their fully customisable Arsenal powered suit on a variety of missions to thwart the enemy at all costs. They can choose and equip their Arsenal with a multitude of weapons, obtain more from downed enemies, and swap them on the fly to suit their strategy in the face of ever-changing threats.

Overcooked! 2: The kitchen mayhem returns in this sequel from Team17 and Ghost Town Games that’s brimming with even more recipes, characters, kitchens and co-op madness. Bake, barbecue or broil with up to three other players in wireless local and online play modes. Save the world from clumsy cooking when the frantic food-juggler arrives on 7th August.

Killer Queen Black: Redesigned from the ground up, the acclaimed arcade extravaganza that became a multiplayer phenomenon is coming to Nintendo Switch. Players can hop on a snail, hoard berries or wipe out the enemy’s queen to claim victory for their team in Liquid Bit and Bumblebear Games’ Killer Queen Black, when it launches first on Nintendo Switch later this year.

Hollow Knight: Venture through the beautifully hand-drawn, mysterious landscapes of a vast forgotten kingdom in Team Cherry’s Hollow Knight, an action-adventure filled with gripping combat and haunting secrets. Hollow Knight on Nintendo Switch also includes the new items, areas, characters and bosses from the currently released content packs – all available today.

Octopath Traveler: Players can take another early look at Square Enix’s upcoming fantasy epic when the Octopath Traveler Prologue Demo arrives on 14th June in Nintendo eShop for Nintendo Switch. Play the demo, then use the save data transfer feature to carry your choices into the main game, once purchased, where players can live the stories of each of the eight travellers and freely explore the world of Orsterra. Octopath Traveler is scheduled to launch on 13th July.

More great games are coming in 2018, including EA Sports FIFA 19 from Electronic Arts, Monster Hunter Generations Ultimate from Capcom, Dragon Ball FighterZ and Dark Souls: Remastered from BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment, Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus from Bethesda Softworks, and Starlink: Battle for Atlas from Ubisoft, which includes characters and content from Nintendo’s Star Fox franchise that are exclusive to the Nintendo Switch version of the game.

To celebrate E3 2018, Nintendo eShop will offer savings on select digital games that helped make some of the fighters in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate famous, as well as other digital games on Nintendo Switch and Nintendo 3DS family systems. The sale kicks off on Thursday 14th June at 15.00 CEST and runs until 23.59 CEST on Thursday 21st June. The full line-up will be announced at 15.00 CEST on Thursday 14th June. All titles can be purchased directly from the website for download, or in Nintendo eShop.

As always, people can keep an eye on http://e3.nintendo-europe.com/ throughout the show for all of Nintendo’s latest E3 updates, including today’s Super Smash Bros. Invitational 2018 finals and the final round of the Splatoon 2 World Championship, and lots of gaming details on Nintendo Treehouse Live | E3 2018.